South Korea is known to be full of mountainous; 70% of the entire country is upland or mountainous. This also signifies that there are many mountains known for not only their beauty and magnificence but also their diverse flora and fauna. I will be introducing several unique mountains in South Korea, along with the plants, animals, and other species that reside in these ecosystems.

Perhaps one of the most famous mountains in South Korea is Mt. Halla, also known as Hallasan. Halla means ‘pulling on the galaxy,’ referring to the fact that it is also the tallest mountain in South Korea, with an altitude of 1947 m. San represents ‘mountain,’ similar to the other examples below. Hallasan is located in Jeju Island, the largest South Korean island, and it is a shield volcano classified active due to the last explosion in the 11th century (Kim).

Due to its distance from the Korean peninsula, Hallasan also provides habitats for many unique species, supporting its designation as a national park. One of the most well known plants is the pincushion plant (Diapensia lapponica var. obovata), which is endangered in South Korea. It grows between the rocks close to Hallasan’s summit, and has white or light pink flowers between June and July (Lee). There are also animals like the Asian badger and Quelpart (Jeju) weasel, the populations of which are decreasing due to habitat loss (Go). All three species are candidates for the symbol species of Hallasan National Park based on the opinions of park rangers, professors, NGOs, and more (Park). 

Other well known mountains in South Korea include Jirisan and Seoraksan, the second and third tallest mountains, respectively, in the country. However, these are in the Korean peninsula and may share more common species than Hallasan, which is more isolated. Nevertheless, it is clear that mountains in South Korea contribute heavily to the flora and fauna in the country. Therefore, these mountainous ecosystems should be protected from the impacts of human development by setting preservation regions like the Hallasan National Park and continuously making sure the flora and fauna in the habitats can thrive within them. This way, the diversity in the mountainous ecosystems in South Korea will be maintained. 

Go, Youngsook. “Hallasan Animals.” Hallasan National Park, Hallasan National Park, www.jeju.go.kr/hallasan/public/report/animal/animal01.htm.

Kim, Kwangho. “Hallasan.” Encyclopedia of Korean Culture, The Academy of Korean Studies, 1995, encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Contents/Index?contents_id=E0061563.

Lee, Changbok. “Diapensia Lapponica Var. Obovata.” Encyclopedia of Korean Culture, Academy of Korean Studies, 1998, encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Contents/Item/E0016128.

Park, Mira. “Symbol of Hallasan.” The Kyunghyang Shinmun, The Kyunghyang Shinmun, 25 Mar. 2019, news.khan.co.kr/kh_news/khan_art_view.html?art_id=201903252037015.